this is bbc news. welcome if you're watching here in the uk, or around the globe. our top stories... donald trump says he will be arrested on tuesday and has called on his supporters to protest. it's not yet clear what charges, if any, he is facing. the former pakistani prime minister imran khan has left the high court in islamabad. the court said that the hearing is not possible amid protests outside. he's facing corruption charges which he says are politically motivated. the scottish national party �*s chief executive and husband of his outgoing leader has resigned after the party revealed a sharp drop in its membership. a deal allowing the export of ukrainian grainfrom a deal allowing the export of ukrainian grain from black sea ports that was due to expire has been renewed.

the former us president donald trump has claimed he expects to be arrested on tuesday. over a long—running alleged hush money case. he made the announcement on his online platform, truth social, calling for protest, and for his supporters to "take our nation back". mr trump is currently campaigning for the republican nomination for the 2024 presidential election. i'm joined now by our correspondent david willis in washington. donald david willis in washington. trump says he will be arrested donald trump says he will be arrested on tuesday. we don't know on what basis, or on what charges. do we have any more detail on that? well, i think do we have any more detail on that? well, ithink it do we have any more detail on that? well, i think it is very important to put this into context, and there

is quite a bit of context here. what donald trump seems to be railing against in this tweet on his truth social social media platform is illegal leaks, as he calls them, by the manhattan district attorney �*s office, that is the department that is looking into allegations of hush money payments made by or on donald trump �*s behalf to women. mr trump is not, his lawyers have since clarified, saying that he has been notified that he will be charged over any offence this tuesday or any other time, they are taking issue with the fact that there have been reports to that effect, or suggestions to that effect in the media here in the united states. donald trump concludes that a tweet by saying "protest those quotes, urging his supporters to come to his aid, if you like. but i think that

also has to be put into context because he is holding a big rally next week, a week from today, in texas. the first of his 2024 presidential campaign, and i think that this has a lot more to do with getting crowds out to that event, rather than any sort of expression of apprehension about charges that might be imminent. it is worth pointing out, however, that security officials in new york are known to have been discussing potential security arrangements in the area around the manhattan central courthouse, were an indictment to be brought against donald trump. but thatis brought against donald trump. but that is the sort of thing that they would do presumably in any event, just as a contingency. there is no suggestion that they know that charges are imminent, as indeed donald trump himself and his lawyers are saying they are unaware as well. and where does this leave his bid

for the republican presidential nomination for the next election? is there a sense within his party that they still see him as an asset, despite all of this? it’s despite all of this? it's interesting, _ despite all of this? it's interesting, john - despite all of this? it�*s interesting, john bolton, the former national security adviser, was on cable television this morning and making the point that the district attorney, if he brings charges against donald trump, had better have a case that fits, and a case thatis have a case that fits, and a case that is prosecutable because, work this prosecution to be brought and to fail, then that could simply amplify the support for donald trump, or certainly amplify the resolve of his hard core supporters. so it is a very delicate balance that the district attorney in new york is trying to navigate at this particular time. york is trying to navigate at this particulartime. i york is trying to navigate at this particular time. i should york is trying to navigate at this particular time. ishould point york is trying to navigate at this particular time. i should point out that it particular time. i should point out thatitis particular time. i should point out that it is worth reminding our audience that grand jury has been convened in new york, and that has

been considering these allegations that hush money payments were paid to the porn star stormy daniels and others, but there is no indication yet that they have decided on whether an indictment should be brought against the former president. david, thank you. president biden has welcomed the decision to issue a warrant for the arrest of russia's leader, vladimir putin by the international criminal court in the hague. it has accused the russian president of war crimes over the forced deportation of children from ukraine to russia. ukraine's president zelensky said it was an historic decision. the kremlin says the accusations are "outrageous." 0ur correspondent anna holligan gave us this update from the hague. this is the most ambitious arrest warrant issued in the history of the icc, accusing a head of state

of forcibly deporting children from ukraine into russia. this will have huge geopolitical ramifications. the icc prosecutor says this is all aboutjustice. while people talk about this being a symbolic move because russia is not a member of the icc, russian police will not be arresting vladimir putin, and yet 123 other countries are, and they are now all obliged to arrest him the minute he sets foot on their territory. one of the reasons for this court making the arrest warrant public is because they hope to deter any further atrocities committed against children. ukraine has mentioned the number of 16,000. they estimate around 60,000 ukrainian children have been deported into russia, some of them already adopted by russian families. the symbolism is here, but also the evidence, according to the icc. enough evidence to justify issuing

this arrest warrant, which means the prosecutor has pointed the finger firmly at president putin, accusing him of committing war crimes. russia has denounced the charges as being outrageous. in a few days' time, the president of china will be standing alongside president putin on a three—day state visit to moscow. that kind of engagement could start to feel a little bit uncomfortable for other world leaders, now that president putin is a suspected war criminal, wanted by the icc here in the hague. despite his arrest warrant, president putin has flown to sevastopol to mark nine years since russia's illegal annexation of crimea. state tv shows him being guided around an art school. there is currently heavy russian military presence throughout crimea, but it's becoming increasingly vulnerable as ukraine obtains missiles and drones that can fly

deep into crimean territory. in pakistan imran khan has left the high court in lslamabad after being granted a special permission to mark his attendance at the entrance gate. the former prime minister travelled to the capital with a convoy of his supporters as he fights corruption charges. the court said the hearing could not take place because of clashes between police and mr khan's supporters in front of the building. 0ur correspondent caroline davies spoke to mr khan from his convoy and sent this report. in his armoured car, inching through the crowds, this was the start of imran khan's journey from his home in lahore to the court in islamabad. this is a much promised appearance, and it is on the basis of this appearance that his arrest warrants were suspended yesterday. many of his supporters have turned out, as well as, of course, security, because his team have talked repeatedly about threats to his safety.

his supporters were adamant that even imprisonment would not stop mr khan's election chances. mr khan has been accused of whipping up his supporters, making them into a human shield, stirring up unrest, as he avoids court. if found guilty there, he could be disqualified from running in this year's elections. in islamabad, security was building. the authorities have no appetite for a repeat of the unrest seen earlier this week between mr khan's supporters and police trying to arrest him. the government have restricted rallies in the capital, but even as he was on the road, mr khan's party officials called for supporters to gather. at the entry to islamabad, the convoy stopped. police said mr khan's group would need to disarm. the crowd and traffic built. amongst them, we found mr khan. are you more worried about prison or are you more worried about being disqualified from running in the future? it's not disqualified. putting in prison means that they will keep me out

of the election race right until the end of the elections, so i won't be able to campaign. that is the whole thing. the government says that this is nothing to do with politics and that mr khan is flouting the rule of law. 0n the other side of the roadblock, police wait with tear gas. mr khan was allowed through. the stand—off in the courts and on the streets continues. caroline davies, bbc news, islamabad. i'm joined now by farhat javed from bbc urdu, who is in islamabad. what is the situation as things stand there now? mr con �*s supporters still out on the streets, or have things settled? —— mike imran khan �*s supporters? bitter or have things settled? -- mike imran khan 's supporters? after the court allowed _ imran khan 's supporters? after the court allowed him _ imran khan 's supporters? after the court allowed him to _ imran khan 's supporters? after the court allowed him to mark- imran khan 's supporters? after the court allowed him to mark his - court allowed him to mark his presence in the court from outside the court, imran khan left for lahore, where he is staying since last november, when he was shot and

wounded. there was a big number of his supporters who accompanied him to the court. they were coming from lahore and other cities as well and they accompanied him. when he left, his supporters did stay here for a while in islamabad, but then they also left. during the day, we saw there was chaos outside judicial complex where imran khan was supposed to appear in the court. there were hundreds of supporters who not only accompanied imran khan, but who are already here waiting for him, and they were trying to enter the court with imran khan, but they were stopped by the law enforcement agencies and police officers who were there. there were clashes between the two. there was a stand—off for a very long time, and imran himself was kept waiting outside the court because he also wanted his supporters to accompany him. there were a lot of restrictions about the number of people who can enter into the court, and therefore they were stopped and

the authorities told us that these restrictions were in place because of the security concerns raised by imran khan himself. so this was the situation today in islamabad, but later on when the court ordered its staff to get imran khan �*s attendance marked outside the court, imran khan left and so did his supporters. imran khan left and so did his sweden-— imran khan left and so did his su orters. ~ ., , , ., supporters. where does this leave the charges _ supporters. where does this leave the charges against _ supporters. where does this leave the charges against him? - supporters. where does this leave the charges against him? what. the charges against him? what ha--ens the charges against him? what happens now? _ the charges against him? what happens now? so, _ the charges against him? what happens now? so, imran - the charges against him? “await happens now? so, imran khan the charges against him? l"iegt happens now? so, imran khan is facing many cases across pakistan, since the time he was ousted from power back in april 2022. since then, there were many charges against him and he calls them all politically motivated and a pack of lies, but the government says they have nothing to do with these charges, and the charges range from terrorism, attempted murder and money laundering, but the case that he is facing now is the one in which he is facing now is the one in which he is facing now is the one in which he is to be indicted very soon, and the court has given a date of march

the court has given a date of march the 30th, so the election watchdog in pakistan says this case is about imran khan concealing the amount of money that he received while he sold gifts that he got as per minister. you know, he got these gifts from foreign dignitaries and during his foreign dignitaries and during his foreign visits. as per all parliamentarians, they are meant to submit a form before the election commission of pakistan, but the election watchdog says that he concealed the money that he earned. imran khan denies these allegations and says these are politically motivated charges and that the government is doing an effort to keep him away from the election later this year, and he thinks they see him as a huge threat in the election. this is what imran khan says, but the government says these are the charges for which the watchdog that has the evidence, and

that the government has to do something with them.- that the government has to do something with them. thank you for “oininu us. here in the uk, the scottish national party chief executive peter murrell has resigned with immediate effect in a row over party membership. mr murrell is married to scotland's first minister and snp party leader nicola sturgeon, who is standing down later this year. here's kate forbes, the member of scottish parliament for skye, lochaber and badenoch on peter murrell�*s legacy and the future of the party. first, i think that the party owes peter morrell a great debt of gratitude because he oversaw the party expansion of membership, and he has been the reason we have won so many elections, with his leadership at the top. —— murrell. i think there is now an appetite for fresh faces. and that will hopefully pave the way for new people in

headquarters to be able to run the snp in a way that maintains the trust of snp members and supports the snp in government. i have no concerns about peter tiktok. it is fairly common good practice to have independent third—party verification of any contest —— peter murrell. but i do have trust in the process and in snp members to make the right decision. i think the last few days have indicated that people are calling out for honesty, they are calling out for honesty, they are calling agra calling out for canada, and ultimately they want to see change, and my whole campaign has been based on the fact that continuity won't cut it. more of the same is not what we need. we actually need change, and we need somebody who has the trust of members, as well as the public, to lead that change. i do think that the turmoil over the last few days

has hurt and been —— bemuse a lot of members, and ultimately, maintaining the trust of members is almost more important than anything else because you can't deliver change without trust, and i think that we will need to see change at every layer of government. we need to see change within government, we need to see change within headquarters, we need to see change when it comes to the culture in which politics is conducted. that was kate forbes, who is a member of the scottish parliament and also an snp member and candidate for the leadership. i'm joined now by gina davidson in edinburgh. she's the sotland political editor at lbc. peter murrell does not have the same profile or recognition, i suppose, among most people that his wife does. how big a deal is his standing down, do you think, for the party?

well, it is a huge dealfor the party because, as kate forbes was saying there, he has led them to election success over the last 15 years in particular. he has been chief executive for more than 20 years. but they have been questions since nicola sturgeon became snp leader, and of course first minister, after the 2014 independence referendum when alex salmond resigned about whether or not there should be a husband and wife team at the top of a political party, and particularly one that is in government. and just whether or not that is good for the internal democracy of the snp. there will be many members who say it is absolutely not good for that and we have heard ash regan, one of the other candidates in this race to replace nicola sturgeon say that, and there are others today. unlike kate forbes, some are not happy with the way the process has been handled, even though peter murrell

has said he refused himself from it and it has been dealt with by somebody else. that was before his decision to stand down. but you are right, the general public won't know very much about peter murrell. they don't really have heard of him, unless it was in connection with nicola sturgeon as being her husband, but he has been seen as being key to the actual success in terms of how the party operates and the machinations that go on in terms of election campaigns. but there has been a lot of disquiet building in the last few years about how the party has been run, particularly complaints from members being not dealt with. of course, we now see from those miniature figures that initially were not going to be released and then were, that they have lost tens of thousands of members in the last few years, and again, some questions will be raised about how much fault should lie at the door of peter murrell for that. so, i think it is fair to say that

scottish politics and the snp in particular are in the midst of real change, a real uprooting and change of direction, and i think peter murrell going is part and parcel of that. , ., ., ., murrell going is part and parcel of that. , . ., ., that. gina, thank you for your anal sis that. gina, thank you for your analysis of— that. gina, thank you for your analysis of that. _ that. gina, thank you for your analysis of that. gina - that. gina, thank you for your l analysis of that. gina davidson, scotland political editor at lbc. a deal allowing the export of ukrainian grain has been renewed just before it was due to expire. the grain initiative was first brokered lastjuly, during fears of a globalfood crisis. after moscow blockaded ukrainian imports. russia and ukrainejointly account blockaded ukrainian imports. russia and ukraine jointly account for nearly a third of global wheat supplies with ukraine �*s contribution nearing 10%. the uk home secretary, suella braverman, has arrived in rwanda to discuss the controversial plan to send migrants there, if they've entered the uk illegally. the deal was first agreed 11

months ago but so far no one has been sent to the central african country, with the plan facing criticism from both home and abroad. however, the uk government has described the plan as ground—breaking, and says it hopes that ms braverman�*s visit will "reinforce the government's commitment to the partnership". earlier i spoke with peter walsh from the migration 0bservatory at oxford university, he outlined where opposition to the plan has been coming from. the thing that has held it up is it is mired in the courts, and the opposition that has really slowed it down has come from refugee and human rights ngo, who have raised questions about whether the policy is both safe and fair. so they highlight that some of the individuals who have been scheduled to be removed, that they have suffered trafficking, they are victims of trafficking and they have other vulnerabilities, and they have argued that they would be at risk of harm, were they sent to rwanda.

another big legal armament agri— argument is about fairness. it focused on the idea that in rwanda asylum seekers are not typically able to avail themselves of the legal assistance that they would need to process their claim. now in december, in the high court, a judge did rule that the policy was legal overall. thejudge ruled that did rule that the policy was legal overall. the judge ruled that it did not break the refugee convention, but actually, that court also overturned eight specific decisions to remove people to rwanda. now we have heard a judge from the court of appeal so that a number of asylum seekers can bring another legal challenge because they argued the home office has not given due consideration to the dangers and risks that they would face if they were removed to rwanda. this is probably going to go all the way up to the supreme court. if it does, it is unlikely that anyone will be sent to rwanda this year. hundreds of anti—racism and pro—trade union protesters have marched through central

london to downing street. many of the demonstrators were carrying banners with slogans in support of gary lineker, and against the government's illegal migration bill. similar protests took place in other parts of the country, including in glasgow and cardiff. for more on this, i am joined by the chief executive of asylum aid. what is your response, firstly, to the visit by the home secretary to rwanda today? i visit by the home secretary to rwanda today?— visit by the home secretary to rwanda toda ? ~ , ., , rwanda today? i think it is actually 'ust a rwanda today? i think it is actually just a distraction. _ rwanda today? i think it is actually just a distraction. a _ rwanda today? i think it is actually just a distraction. a distraction - just a distraction. a distraction from the fact that there is increasing examination of the moral vacuum at the heart of the government �*s new refugee ban bill, a bill that will strip people fleeing persecution, fleeing violence, from rights to secure safety here in the uk. a bill that will detain families, women,

children indefinitely, and a bill thatis children indefinitely, and a bill that is frankly unworkable, and therefore is also a distraction from therefore is also a distraction from the fact that the rwanda scheme is unlawful and unfair. asylum eight, the charity that i am a chief executive of, has also had permission to repeal the high court decision, and in summary, it is also absolutely obvious that it is unfair to tell people they only have seven daysin to tell people they only have seven days in which to make arguments where they should not be sent to rwanda, and that they don't need legal representation to do that. these are complex cases, complex arguments. these are people with often very basic english, with no understanding of the system. so i think really what the home secretary is doing isjust think really what the home secretary is doing is just trying to distract people from the fact that this is not a grown—up policy. but

people from the fact that this is not a grown-up policy.- not a grown-up policy. but the situation with _ not a grown-up policy. but the situation with a _ not a grown-up policy. but the situation with a number- not a grown-up policy. but the situation with a number of- not a grown-up policy. but the i situation with a number of people crossing the channel illegally, at great risk to themselves in these small boats, the government saying it could be up to 80,000 people crossing the channel this year, it is all very well to criticise what the government is doing, but what alternatives would you put forward instead to try to deter people from making that perilous crossing, and endangering their own lives? you know, endangering their own lives? m. know, everybody would agree that nobody wants young people, the men and women who are so desperate to reach a place where they feel they can be safe, to be risking their lives crossing the channel. i think everybody is in agreement on that. that is not how we want people to be able to reach safety. what the government needs to do is create safe routes. those can be done in a different way. it could just stop banning visas from countries where

conflicts are happening, or withdrawing visas where there is violence and people are likely to come and claim asylum through a plane journey come and claim asylum through a planejourney and claim come and claim asylum through a plane journey and claim asylum on arrival. this government essentially makes it impossible for anyone to get to the uk in any other way. it has opened up a scheme for hong kong, but even the afghan scheme has only had a handful of afghans. multiple afghans have come by boat... �* ,., boat... but the point the prime minister made _ boat... but the point the prime minister made in _ boat... but the point the prime minister made in parliament i boat... but the point the prime minister made in parliament is| boat... but the point the prime - minister made in parliament is that this is notjust a priority for him, but for the british people, to lower the numbers of people crossing the channel in these small boats. [30 the numbers of people crossing the channel in these small boats. do you think he is wrong? _ channel in these small boats. do you think he is wrong? i _ channel in these small boats. do you think he is wrong? i haven't - channel in these small boats. do you think he is wrong? i haven't seen - think he is wrong? i haven't seen the polls at the prior minister said. i think people do look at people in boats on the channel and don't want people to drown, and don't want people to drown, and don't want people to drown, and don't want people to put their lives at risk. what i would say is what the government is doing is not grown—up. it is immoral and

inhumane. it grown-up. it is immoral and inhumane-— grown-up. it is immoral and inhumane. , , inhumane. it is incompetent. ok... we must end _ inhumane. it is incompetent. ok... we must end it _ inhumane. it is incompetent. ok... we must end it there. _ inhumane. it is incompetent. ok... we must end it there. we - inhumane. it is incompetent. ok... we must end it there. we are - inhumane. it is incompetent. ok... we must end it there. we are out l inhumane. it is incompetent. ok... | we must end it there. we are out of town. thank you. thank you for watching. for many of us this afternoon is looking quite wet with rain or showers knocking around, and the rainfall that we get today is going to be added to these totals because in a number of places it has been a wet month already, with more rainfall recorded in the first half of the month than we normally get in the whole of the month of march. and there is a lot more to come over the next few days. the weather looks particular wet across western and north—western areas of the uk. i think it is going to turn out to be a very wet month for all of us. we have got a band of rain pushing across scotland and northern ireland, but for england and way is it is a day of sunny spells and heavy showers. the shower clouds restarting to grow and we can see some of them here, blossoming in

worcestershire. those shower clouds are going to be notjust widespread today, but potentially heavy with hail and thunder mixing as well. let's look at the weather details. here is our band of rain pushing on across scotland and northern ireland and you might see the weather brighten up in northern ireland later on. for england and wales, showers will become widespread and some will be heavy and sundry. the heaviest downpours will work across wales, the midlands and northern areas of england. some sometime between those downpours, but often the weather looks quite cloudy for most of us. mild, with temperatures 11-15 c. most of us. mild, with temperatures 11—15 c. 0vernight, the showers will fade away but this weakening band offering will then push its way across england and wales with clearer skies following and we might see if you mist or fog clearer skies following and we might see if you mist orfog patches. temperatures dropping down into low single figures for scotland and northern ireland with some patches of frost, but england and where is will be frost free temperatures for — seven. tomorrow, this is going to be the nicest slice of weather that

we get around this weekend. should be a fine, if somewhat chilly start the day with plenty of morning sunshine. however it is forecast a cloud over without breaks of rain swinging into northern ireland through the afternoon. it will probably reach western scotland, wales and western areas of england towards the end of the afternoon. staying on the mild side. into next week, low pressure continues to push on across the atlantic one after the next after the next, so we are looking at a prolonged spell of wet weather, really. the rain turning heavy on monday, perhaps more showery in nature as we head towards tuesday, but a lot more rain waiting for the rest of the week with rainfall totals really mounting up.

this is bbc news. the headlines. the former us president donald trump says he expects to be arrested on tuesday and is called on his supporters to protest. it is not clear what charges, if any, he is facing. the court in islamabad cancels a hearing into the charges against the former prime minister following clashes between his supporters and the police. he faces corruption charges which he says are

politically motivated.